Round Table Meeting Protocol

Roundtable meetings are informal forums that encourage the exchange of information or ideas between participants. Although roundtable meetings have an informal feel to them, an established protocol allows the forum to stay organized and avoid drifting off topic.

Agenda

Prepare an agenda for participants to review at the beginning of the meeting. An agenda is an essential document in ensuring that all participants know what the objective of the roundtable discussion is, and in what order particular items will be discussed. Agendas also help meetings end on time.

Minutes

Take minutes of the roundtable meeting for documentation and good record keeping practices. Minutes are used to identify follow-up items, as well as to document actions taken or decisions that are made during the meeting.

Facilitation

Roundtable meetings must be properly facilitated. The individual calling the meeting is usually in charge of moderating the discussion. According to The Risk Management Association, the facilitator/moderator's role is to introduce the topics, maintain the flow of ideas and summarize the end points or outcomes.

Etiquette

Proper meeting etiquette must be practiced in order for roundtable meetings to run smoothly. Accordingly, participants should not speak out of turn or interrupt others. Individuals should silence their cell phones and avoid distractive behaviors.